Rubbing machine



Aug. 22, 1939. E, R MASON 2,170,643

RUBBING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1957 FIG.4.

INVENTOR EDWIN R.MASON ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES rmrriyr OFFICE I Application September .20, 1937, Serial No. 164,819

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to surface finishing apparatus and refers more particularly to improvements in polishing machines.

One of the principal objects of this invention resides in the provision of a polishing machine having polishing members sufficiently flexible to permit the same to readily conform to irregular surfaces and thereby insure effectively polishing said irregular surfaces.

Another object of this invention consists in the provision of a polishing machine composed of a relatively few simple parts capable of being expediently assembled and economically manufactured. This feature, as well as other objects of the invention, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure l is a side elevational view of a polishing machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating one of the polishing members prior to the latter being folded in the manner shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the polishing member illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view illustrating the polishing member after the latter has been folded; and

Figure 6 is an end view of the folded polishing member shown in Figure 5.

Although the polishing machine forming the subject matter of this invention may be advantageously employed to polish various different types of articles, nevertheless, the same finds particular utility when used for polishing the fin- 40 ish on molding frames having perimeters varying in configuration and having irregular cross sectional contours. This type of frame is particularly difficult to polish in a simple inexpensive operation and, for this reason, I have selected this particular embodiment for the purpose of illustrating my invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, it will be noted that the polishing machine illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a pair of pulleys Ill and II operatively connected together by means of a belt l2 reeved around the pulleys and carrying the polishing members I3. In the present instance, the two pulleys are mounted with their axes of rotation in parallel relation on shafts l4 rotatably supported in any suitable manner (not shown) and the shaft for the pulley I0 is operatively connected to a source of power also not shown herein. The general arrangement is such that the source of power' drives the pulley I!) through the associated shaft l4 and this pulley, in turn, drives the pulley l I through the medium of the endless'belt I2. As a consequence, the belt 12 is moved throughout a path determined by the pulleys and, since the polishing members I3 are carried by the belt, it follows that these polishing members will be advanced throughout a corresponding path.

'Referring again to Figure 1 of the drawing, it will be noted that I have shown in this figure one type of molding A that may be polished with the machine briefly outlined above, and particular attention .is called to the fact that the configuration of the perimeter of this molding does :not conform to the path of travel of the polishing members. Also, from Figure 2, it will be observed that the cross sectional contour of the molding A is irregular and that the polishing members l3 are not preformed to conform to this irregular cross sectional contour. Nothwithstanding the above, however, the molding A is effectively polished in a single operation and this is accomplished by reason of the construction of the polishing members. In general, the polishing members may be formed of any material having the required polishing characteristics and possessing sufficient flexibility to permit the members to readily conform to the irregular shape of the surface to be polished. Particularly satisfactory results have been secured by forming the polishing members from a plurality of sheets of fabric, such as unbleached muslin, and securing the various sheets together at spaced points in a manner determined to hold the sheets in assembled relationship without destroying the flexibility and polishing characteristics inherent in the material employed.

The above arrangement provides a polishing member of laminated construction and the laminations are prefashioned or cut to form a polishing surface l5 of any suitable contour. In the present instance, the polishing members have a portion l6 extending transversely of the belt l2 and terminating at one end in an outwardly projecting portion II. This specific contour of polishing member is particularly advantageous in polishing frames of the character illustrated and should not be considered as limiting this invention. Upon reference to Figure 1, it will be noted that the polishing members I3 are supported on the belt l2 in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of the belt and, in the present instance, the inner edges of the transverse portions l6 of the polishing members are riveted, or otherwise suitably secured to the belt l2. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, rivets 18 are employed and these rivets are extended through suitable openings 19 formed in the belt I2.

The polishing members may be readily formed by placing a plurality of sheets of fabric of the desired contour in superposed relationship in the manner clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. Each of the laminations are formed with two pairs of registering openings 20 and 2! therethrough on a line midway between the opposite transverse edges of the sheets. These openings, as well as the shaped portions 22 of the sheets, may be formed either before or after the sheets are assembled but, in any event, the various sheets are secured together by means of rivets 23 extending through the pair of openings 2| and adapted to be crimped over suitable washers 24. Also, the pair of openings 20 are adapted to register with the corresponding openings l9 through the belt l2 for receiving the rivets l8 and the latter cooperate with the rivets 23 to assist in maintaining the laminations of the polishing member in assembled relationship. After the assembled laminated sheets are secured to the belt E2, the same are folded on the transverse center line in the manner illustrated in Figure 6 to register the opposite transverse edges of the sheets. The outwardly extending portions H are then secured together by means of the rivets 25 extending through registering openings in the folded laminations and riveted over suitable washers 26. Thus, it will be seen that the edge portions of the fabric sheets cooperate with one another to form the polishing surface and that the fastening means does not interfere with flexing movement of these edge portions. As a consequence, the polishing members readily conform to the contour of the frame being polished and a number of different sizes and contours of frames may be accommodated.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a polishing machine, an endless belt reeved around pulleys and driven by one of the pulleys, a plurality of polishing r'nembers spaced from each other in the direction of the path of travel of the belt and extending outwardly from said belt, each of the polishing members composed of flexible laminations folded intermediate the opposite edges to provide an extended yieldable polishing surface around the belt, fastening means extending through the folded portions of the laminations and through said belt for securing the polishing members to the belt, and additional fastening means passing through all the laminations intermediate the transverse edges of the latter and the points of attachment of the laminations to the belt to hold the laminations in co-operative relation and to form a flexible polishing surface capable of being readily deformed by the article being polished.

2. A flexible polishing element for attachment to a belt comprising a plurality of flexible laminated sheets having their opposite transverse edges contoured to conform substantially to the cross sectional contour of the articles to be polished, fastening means extending through the medial portions of the laminated sheets and through the belt for securing the polishing eley" ment to the belt, the free end portions of the laminated sheets being folded outwardly from their medial portions and positioned adjacent each other with the contoured transverse edges in registration with each other, and additional fastening means extending through the freevend portions of all the laminated sheets intermediate their transverse edges and their medial portions to maintain the contoured transverse edges in registration.

EDWIN R. MASON. 

